In two days time we will be on the way to the airport. I have not started packing yet. I am suffering from ‘farewell exhaustion’. Another 2 events tomorrow. Will there be tears at the parting? I hope not but I am questioning the move a lot more than Mrs. Ha. She believes it is going home for me. It feels nothing like it. I know very few people in Britain. I cannot honestly say I have a base there. Starting from scratch at well nigh 60 does not seem a smart move to me.
One of the properties we were eyeing has sold in the last 24 hours. I think we are going to struggle to find what we want in reasonable time whilst making sure our temporary accommodation will accept Lulu. As from February 1st I become an ‘Absent Member’ at the club. That brings it home. We are about to be nomads. No fixed abode.
The final straw today was a run in with HSBC. It deserves a full blown rant but I’m too tired. The bureaucracy and stupidity of their ‘policies’ left me losing the will to live. How any bank these days gains or retains customers baffles me. I am fed up with PIN numbers, telephone banking numbers, security pad numbers, endless form filling, security questions and so on. Why do I have to prove who I am to people who know me personally. I am sitting in front of them for the umpteenth time in the last few months and still they want to see my ID card, confirm my date of birth, tell them what was the make of my first car, my mother’s maiden name and my favourite liquorice allsort. Then they may allow me to change some money from HK$ into £. The marathon obstacle course ended and they warned me several times yesterday to keep my phone on, waiting for the compliance team to reconfirm my details before they released the money to my UK account. I was warned they would only call three times. Nobody phoned. This morning we asked if the funds had gone. Oh yes they said, no problem. I looked for a wall against which to bang my head. And then this afternoon it all started again. I am too traumatised to write about it.
And so the blog ends (for now) with a loud whimper and not a bang on the horizon. I suspect the next spine-chilling episode will be from sunny (?) England unless I find time to take a picture or two this weekend. I took about 20 today. All cr@p.
As Gracie put it in the days before ‘gay’ took on today’s meaning:
Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye
Cheerio, here I go, on my way
Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye
Not a tear, but a cheer, make it gay
Give me a smile I can keep all the while
In my heart while I’m away
‘Till we meet once again, you and I
Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye
Your good wishes and reassuring messages are much appreciated and if someone could send me a replacement back before we board tomorrow night that would be just splendid.
All downhill from here 